An Old Victor's Thoughts
by DeadLight63
Summary: Hudson is the oldest living victor in Panem, having lived since the 10th Annual Hunger Games. And he has a few things to say about some of Panem's most recent events...
1. The 74th Annual Hunger Games Results

"So, Mr. Hudson, for the first time in Panem's history, two victors have been crowned in this year's Hunger Games. What do you think of this?" The reporter asked as she held out a microphone in front of Hudson. Adam Hudson had been the victor of the 10th Annual hunger games, originally 17 years old. He had been the first tribute to win from a district outside of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th districts, coming from District 7. He was also the oldest living victor in Panem. In addition, he had something to say about just about anything that happened while he was around, so the Capitol kept camera crews on him to tape his reactions to major events in the country. Like now. Hudson looked up from his wheelchair and smiled, shaking his head slightly.

"Well how about that? Two victors? That's really something special. Lucky little snakes. Wish I coulda gotten away with that." He said as he chuckled, as he waved his finger in the air. That was a little quirk of his, one he had obtained when he was in the games. Some said it was form of PTSD, others said it was his way of speaking, and others just said it was him going crazy. Him? He just thought it was something that he did without thinking about it. He didn't mind it anyway, not like it hurt anyone, right?

"Mr. Hudson, this chain of events has sparked a wide response from all across the country." The reporter said. Hudson laughed.

"I'll bet! Bet the Capitol is real fricken' pissed that they got showed up like that. Heck I know I would." He said with a slight chuckle in his voice. The reporter gave a short chuckle before shaking her head, and regaining her serious nature. Pity. Hudson really enjoyed when she forgot about her work and had a laugh. Made him feel like he wasn't the only human in the room. Leaning against the back of his chair, Hudson prepared himself for the next question, not that he was in the mood to answer them anyway. Still, it kept him safe from anything else that the Capitol could think of.

"You have no doubt seen the footage of what happened on television?"

"Who hasn't? I mean, if you don't the government just comes in and beats ya half to death. Do you really have a choice?" Hudson asked back to the reporter. The reporter pulls at her collar for a moment, seemingly nervous with Hudson's answers. Hudson didn't care. As far as most of the districts were concerned, he was just a crazy old man who couldn't help what came out of his mouth. Heck, sometimes he DIDN'T know what he was saying. Maybe now was one of those times. Hudson didn't really care.

"Anyway... Many believe that this was not an act of desperate love, but of rebellion. What do you think about these statements?" Hudson scoffed and waved his hand at the camera, as though trying to make it go away. Much like he would when a fly would get too close to him. Giving a forced laugh, Hudson looked back at the camera, his face carrying an obvious disgust.

"Those people are a bunch of numb-skulled morons! They're always lookin' for some sort of crap to make a victor look like some sort of freak or criminal. I mean, I'm a freaken' victor, and nearly every freaken' person in this dang nation says that I'm insane!" Hudson angrily leaned forward in his wheel chair, glaring angrily into the camera lens. "Do I look insane to you? Well I'm not! If you saw half of the crap I did in that arena, you'd freaken' understand why I am the way I am. What the heck is wrong with you people? Huh?" Hudson shouted at the camera. The reporter told him to relax, and told him that he wasn't crazy. Hudson scoffed at her and shook his head. She thought he was nuts. He knew she did. Heck, anyone who wasn't a victor thought he was losing his mind. But he wasn't. No matter what any idiotic piece of crap said.

"Now, Mr. Hudson, it's been about a week since the 'Star Crossed Lovers' won the Hunger Games and went home. Their district has received supplies from the capitol for the first time in twenty-four years. What do you think about this?" Hudson clicked his tongue and shook his head, smiling like a mad man.

"Well that's good for them. I mean, bout time that district got some freaken' help. They're the poorest of the districts or some crap like that right? Makes you wonder what those presidents are doing up there in their fancy homes." Hudson said. After that, he burst out laughing, thinking what he had said was hilarious. In his mind, he was a comedic genius when it came to politics and stuff like that.

"Our last question for the day. Shortly after the return of the tributes, rumors of strikes in your own district right here have been spreading. Overall hours are down, and less product is being produced each day. Do you think that there are any connections between these events?" The reporter asked kindly, pointing her microphone back at Hudson for the last time of the day. Hudson clasped his hands in his lap, and gave a thoughtful face. He considered these events, wondering if that one girl's actions really had sparked this. He had indeed been noticing that his son and his grandson had not been working as hard as they had been not long ago.

"You wanna know what I think?" Hudson said after about thirty seconds of silence. He looked up to the reporter, her black hair gently coming down to her shoulders. She smiled and nodded, which made him smile. She had a very pretty smile.

"I think that the districts should be more careful about what they believe. Now, I wasn't particularly old when the Dark Days were happening, but I was old enough to see what it had done to my mom. My dad dead, my sister in intensive care for a year before dying, she was a wreck." Hudson said as his smile vanished. The mood in the room darkened, as he shifted his view to the camera, and leaned forward again slightly.

"You hear me? I didn't have the misfortune to see the first Dark Days. I have no freaken' desire to see a new set of em'. So you best get your acts together if you think a few strikes and... slowed work days are gonna make the Captiol see somethin'. You wanna a better future? Stop trying to piss off the Capitol. It's not gonna solve any freaken' problems."


	2. The Victory Tour

Hudson looked out his window. Smiling at the landscape before him. While district seven was by no means the nicest district to live in, it still had some good scenery. Looking down at his hand, Hudson could see the liver spots that had formed there, back during his middle aged days. Back then, he was always outside, helping his kids with their chores or lending a hand in the lumber work. Despite the fact that he didn't have to. Sitting around doing nothing made him paranoid, and helping out around the district kept him sane. Now, sitting around was all he could do, with his bad legs and his old age draining his strength. While he had been in denial at first, he came to accept that his days as a hard working man had passed, and he now made up for not being able to work by spending time with his family.

"Grandpa! Look what I drew!" He heard from the side. Turning his head back up, he saw his young, eight year old granddaughter coming towards him, a freshly drawn picture in her hands. Hudson gave a light chuckle as he rolled over to her, excitement lining her blue eyes. She giggled as Hudson came to a stop in front of her, and held up her picture high enough for him to see without grabbing it. Hudson smiled and picked her up, groaning slightly as he brought her up onto his lap. His granddaughter handed him her picture, which he happily took. What was on it made Hudson smile. It was him, her, and his son, her father, walking in a field of flowers, while what were supposed to be butterflies flew around them.

"It's beautiful Amber. I think I have a special spot I'll put this." Hudson said as he rubbed her shoulder. Amber giggled and began to point out different parts of her picture, saying why she drew them. Hudson simply smiled and listened as his hyper granddaughter gave him a full behind the scenes explanation of her reasoning behind everything in the picture. From why he was walking to why she had a yellow dress on. Just as she was explaining the butterflies, his door opened again, with his 16 year old grandson coming in with what looked like a bored expression on his face. Hudson was about to tell him to stop moping, but then he realized his expression wasn't one of boredom, but rather of being bothered. Soon after he came in, a reporter came in behind him, with the camera crew not far behind her. Hudson sighed as he looked over to Amber, who had a sad look on her face.

"Do you have to Grandpa?" She asked with a pouting face. Hudson chuckled lightly. Amber always hated when the camera crews came in. Especially when she was spending time with him. It was one of the many things Hudson and his granddaughter had in common.

"Trust me sweetheart, if I didn't have to, I wouldn't let a camera anywhere near this freaken' place." He said as he rubbed her shoulder one last time. Using his strength, he groaned as he lowered Amber off of his lap, back onto the floor.

"Why don't you go see if Daddy needs your help with anythin'? James, you can go too." Hudson said as he rolled over to the camera crew. As he did this, the reporter began to give her crew instructions on where to put the cameras, while James gave his grandfather a confused look.

"Why do I have to go? I know what goes on in here. Besides, dad just gave me a break. I'm not exactly looking to ignore it." James said as he crossed his arms. Hudson frowned and pointed his finger at his grandson. James was as stubborn as a mule, which Hudson blamed on his grandmother. Even though he loved his wife, she had been the most stubborn woman he had ever met. And now it had been passed on to James.

"Well then you can go do somethin' somewhere else, I have to be alone in these little interviews, and you know that. Just find something else to do you freaken' bull-head." Hudson said as he stopped his wheel chair, locking it into place. James gave an annoyed sigh and walked out of the room, closing the door very hard on his way out. The camera crew got their equipment in place as the reporter smiled and walked over to Hudson, although Hudson didn't smile back.

"What is so freaken' important that you have ta' bother me when I'm spendin' time with my grand kids? Huh?" Hudson asked with an annoyed expression. The reporter shook her head, saying that he would find out soon enough. The camera crew said something about being on air, which Hudson never really cared to listen to. One of them started counting backwards, as the reporter turned to face the camera in front of her. She welcomed her audience, stating where she was, that Hudson was with her, and they were about to ask him some questions about popular events. She turned back around to face him, her smile looking like it was being glued onto her by force.

"Now, Mr. Hudson, the Victory Tour for the Star Crossed Lovers of District 12 is about to begin. Since this is the first time the Districts will be welcoming not one, but two victors of the Hunger Games, they're making their best efforts to make the victors feel welcome. Efforts for the ceremonies haven't been this strenuous since the last Quarter Quell. Do you think that this effort is well spent, or do you think it's energy that would be best spent elsewhere?" Hudson gave an annoyed expression, as he looked around the room.

"Is this some kind of joke or somethin'? You're buggin' me because the Districts are tryin' to be nicer?" He asked with a bored expression. Before the reporter could give her answer, Hudson shook his head and shrugged.

"I don't freaken' know. I'm not sure just how much effort goes into those little ceremonies. How the heck would I know if it's better spent somewhere else? I don't give a flyin' crap about it. If they wanna do that kinda thing, go right ahead. You don't see me complainin'." Hudson said. His finger began to wave in the air again, though Hudson didn't pay much attention to it. The reporter cleared her throat, then brought the microphone back to her.

"Many of the Districts are starting rumors of possible marriage between the two victors. The idea alone has nearly everyone buzzing in excitement, do you think these rumors are true?" Hudson looked around some more, then adjusted himself in his wheelchair.

"If they were tellin' the truth bout how they felt about each other, then sure, I s'pose it could be true. I don't think anyone should jump to conclusions though. It's not like we personally know em'." Hudson groaned as he leaned back in his chair, cracking his back against the back of it. With a sigh of relief, he looked over to one of the other camera operators.

"I need somethin' to drink, why don't you get one of those freeloaders over there to get some water? I mean, they're just standin' there." He said as folded his hands in his lap. The reporter seemed surprised for a second, but ordered the camera man on the far right to grab him a drink. Hudson looked back at the reporter, who had just brought the microphone back to her.

"The mayor of the District has stated that the city's budget for the ceremony has nearly doubled since last year, do you think that this money has been well spent?" Hudson rolled his eyes and looked at the camera blankly.

"Really? It's not like I can say what our District should and shouldn't spend our money on, so why should I care? Let the mayor do whatever the mayor wants to do, and if a lot of people have a problem with it, then come and talk to me." Hudson said as the camera man returned with a water bottle. Hudson took the bottle and opened it, taking a long drink as the reporter asked her final question.

"The last question for the day, if the Star Crossed Lovers really are planning on getting married, do you have any advice for them?" The reporter asked. Hudson gave a relieved sigh as he wiped his mouth, clearing it of the moisture of the water. Looking into the camera, he shook his head.

"No. I'm not some freaken' minister, I don't have any right to be given' em' any advice. And quite honestly, I don't think they would want an old man's advice anyway." Hudson said as he took another sip of his water. After he had finished, he looked back at the camera.

"If you two wanna get married, good for you. But the guy... What's his name, Peeta? If your woman is anything like my wife, don't get into any arguments. Honestly, you will not win a single freaken' one."


	3. The Marriage

Hudson looked around the room, still sick of the camera crew that had come to gain his opinions on the "breaking news that had all of Panem talking". What a load of bull crap. He wasn't speaking a word about whatever it was, heck, the only thing he HAD talked about recently was his granddaughter's imagination. And that was mostly with her over her pictures. He folded his hands and kept them in his lap, awaiting whatever question the reporter had to ask him. Not that he really cared anyway. Soon enough he would be done answering the questions and he could spend time with his grandson. He always felt guilty about not spending much time with James as compared to Amber. And now, just when he was going to spend some time with him, the reporters show up. Just his luck.

"Mr. Hudson, with the victory tour over, all of Panem is buzzing with the exciting news of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark's marriage. What do you think of these turns of events?" Hudson groaned and brought his hand to his forehead as the reporter placed her microphone in front of him, clearly trying to ignore his aggravation. Was this REALLY what had Panem excited? They were just two people in love, no one had made a big deal when HE got married, or any other victor for that matter.

"Didn't you talk to me about that LAST time?" Hudson said as he shook his head. He was starting to get sick of this whole 'Star Crossed Lovers' thing. That was the big thing when they were in the arena, the ARENA. What happened in there was the past, gone, no more, nothing relevant anymore! Why was Panem still calling them that? They were home now! They weren't fighting the odds of being together anymore, what made this thing so dang interesting?

"Why is anyone surprised, doesn't anyone remember all those rumors floating around? With how some of these bull-heads act, I'm shocked some moron hasn't made a "WE TOLD YOU SO" banner to any person who didn't think they'd get married. It's not like this is something that is so freaken' important that every single freaken' person needs to know about it." Hudson said as he shook his head. Sighing, he laid back in his chair, as the reporter brought the microphone back to herself.

"So... You think this is bad?" She asked. Hudson groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Did I say that? No, I didn't. It's good for those two to love each other enough to get married, but I'm just saying don't make it such a big freaken' deal. It's a marriage, we have more important things in our lives to worry about! than someone's wedding." The reporter gave the collar of her shirt a quick tug, clearing her throat slightly as Hudson looked over to one of the other cameras. He rested his arms on the armrests of his chair, and rotated his neck in a clockwise motion, gaining a few cracks.

"Anyway... Mr. Hudson, the entire Capitol is making preparations for their marriage as we speak. There hasn't been this much excitement in the Capitol besides the Hunger Games, for over eighty years..." The reporter began to say, but Hudson shook his head and brought his hand up to a 'stop' position.

"Now hang on, hang on, that is exactly what I said is wrong. It's great those two are gettin' married and all that but..." Hudson shook his head and leaned forward towards the camera. The confusion was evident on his face.

"Really? More excitement since before all this? It's not that big a' deal! Leave the kids alone for cryin' out loud! Heck, I bet half the reason they're gettin' married's because everyone wanted em' to!" Hudson said as he fell back into his chair. The reporter sighed and shook her head, clearly aggravated by Hudson's response. Looking back up to him, she held out the microphone once more, and Hudson prepared himself for the next question.

"Just please cooperate with us a little longer sir, we're almost done. President Snow has gone out of his way to oversee the whole occasion, and make sure everything goes according to plan. Do you think that this is logical, or do you think that the President should be focusing on other matters?" She asked. Hudson nodded and peered down in thought for a moment, wondering about this. Bringing his hands to his chin, he looked back up at the reporter.

"I don't think the President needs to be involved in this thing. Isn't it the couple's job to make sure everything goes well? I mean, that's how it worked for my marriage. Besides, doesn't he have... presidently stuff he needs to work on? Leave this to someone else, it doesn't need is' help. " He said as he placed his hands in his lap.

"Last question of the day, if you were in charge of this occasion, how would handle it?" The reporter asked. Hudson gave a blank stare at the camera. Did she really just ask him that question? His earlier responses hadn't given it away? Honestly, was this chick THAT naive? Hudson blew into the air and shook his head.

"I'd let them do it how they wanna do it. Tell them fans to back off and give em' space. That's what I got for my marriage. I don't see any reason they shouldn't. Now get the heck outta here, I need to spend time with my grandson!"


End file.
